A great son of Ananda College who did so much for Buddhism

It was with profound sadness that we, the Executive Committee of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress (ACBC) learnt of the sudden demise of Colonel Sudath Madugalle, one of the greatest sons of Ananda College. Col. Madugalle departed from this world, leaving a permanent void in the hearts of not only his family but in everyone associated with the ACBC. He had close links with Buddhist monks not only in Sri Lanka but in other Buddhist countries as well. He was a Vice President of the ACBC and the Deputy Secretary General of the World Buddhist Forum.

My association with him commenced when he was the President of the Old Anandians’ Buddhist Society, but I had the opportunity to move closely with him during the past decade in the Executive Committee of the ACBC, after his retirement from the Sri Lanka Army. During the past decade he devoted most of his time for social work mainly to protect the rights of the Sinhalese Buddhists. He was heavily involved in developing Buddhist temples and in helping people in border villages affected by the cruel LTTE activities for nearly 30 years. His effort and contacts with government organisations helped to make the tree planting campaign recently initiated by the ACBC to protect the environment a great success.

He had a family connection to both Weera Keppetipola and Madugalle Disava and took an initiative to erect a monument for them in his home town. He also jointly with Ven. Induragare Dhammarathana Thera embraced the task of taking the ideology of Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala to the younger generation all over the country.

He was well known for his kind and humane traits. He was a silent worker. I came to know some of the valuable contributions he had made through the funeral orations by various speakers including the Buddhist clergy. His death is an irreplaceable loss to the Buddhists in this country and to all Sri Lankans in general.

May he attain the Supreme Bliss of Nirvana. Dr. L. M.K. Tillekeratne